To buy this much beef is much more economical, yet it can require additional freezer space and it is a larger initial financial investment in your health.
Remember that grass fed beef contains up to 5 times the amount of Omega-3s as grain fed beef (traditional supermarket meat is grain fed) and twice as much Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). Also, grass fed beef contains more carotenoids, vitamin E and other antioxidants and is naturally leaner (be careful and don’t overcook it!)
To reserve your bulk purchase, a $50 deposit (per quarter is required at the time of your order).
Prices:
- Split half (1/4) beef – $4.50/pound hanging weight
- Half beef - $4.25/pound hanging weight
- Full beef - $4.00/pound hanging weight
What is hanging weight?
Hanging weight is what an animal weighs after it is first processed by the butcher. This is generally 60% of the live weight of the animal. For example, if you choose to purchase half of a 850 pound steer, the hanging weight of that animal will be 510 pounds (and you will be buying 255 of those pounds).
Does that mean I will be bringing home 255 pounds of beef?
Not exactly. There are still many bones on the carcass at this time that are not edible (the spine, for example) that need to be trimmed off. The weight of the meat you will take home (depending on what types of cuts you choose) will be about 30% less. So, using our previous example, if you are buying 255 pounds of beef, you will end up putting 180 pounds of beef into your freezer. A split half will end up weighing about 90 pounds and a whole beef, 360 pounds. This is the time to think about how much meat you will eat in a year and what kind of storage you have. Approximately 30 pounds of beef will fit into a cubic foot of freezer space. That means a split half (1/4) will fit into 3 cubic feet, a half will fill 6 cubic feet and a whole will need 12 cubic feet.
Processing fees:
In addition to the cost of the meat (which is paid directly to Morning Star Meadows Family Farm before the meat is picked up from the butcher), the butcher also charges fees and these are paid directly to the butcher when you pick up your meat. There is a $55 harvest fee (for a whole beef – this is split if you buy less) and an additional $0.60/pound change on the hanging weight for the meat to be flash frozen and vacuum sealed.
To further our example earlier, if you purchase half a beef, you will need to pay the butcher $27.50 + $153 = $180.5 for their services. A split half is approximately $90.25 and a whole beef, $361.
What types of cuts does this typically include?
Our earlier example of a half beef would often consist of the following, although you are able to customize your order with the butcher.
- Ground Beef – 90 pounds
- Stew Meat – 4 pounds
- Soup Bones with meat – 8 pounds
- Soup bones for bone broth – 20 pounds
- Beef Brisket – 4 pounds
- Chuck Roast – 10 pounds
- Sirloin Tip Roast – 5 pounds
- Shoulder Roast – 10 pounds
- Boneless Round Roast – 5 pounds
- Short Ribs – 4 pounds
- Sirloin Steak – 4 pounds
- Ribeye Steak – 5 pounds
- Bottom Round Steak – 6 pounds
- London Broil – 4 pounds
- Sirloin Tip Steak – 5 pounds
- Porterhouse Steak – 5 pounds
- Flank Steak – 1 pounds
Organ meats and fat available by request – 20 pounds